| | Published July 4th, 2012
| Moraga Commons Park-It Wears its Name Well
| | By Sophie Braccini |  | | Members of the Council and Planning Commission take tour of the site that would become the Commons in 1979.
Photo courtesy Moraga Historical Society
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Again this year the center of Moraga's 4th of July festivities is the Moraga Commons Park. To those who have lived in town for less than 30 years, the park is a feature that has always been here. In fact, the Moraga Commons Park is relatively new- it was dedicated 30 years ago by Mayor Margaret DePriester, in July of 1982.
It took a few years of bargaining with Caltrans, which owned the land, a discussion of different planning concepts, and a lot of fundraising to make the lackluster grounds a welcoming, family gathering spot. It may be Moraga residents' biggest 'common' accomplishment.
"No matter what else the Council did or did not do, citizens will remember the purchase of the land for the park as an outstanding achievement," said Mayor Barry Gross in 1978 when the Town of Moraga bought the land that would become the Commons Park. The 40 acres belonged to Caltrans and were supposed to become a freeway interchange for routes 77 and 93.
But plans for a highway to run through Moraga were abandoned, partly because of lack of funding and because, according to DePriester, Orinda, Moraga and Lafayette's points of view and requirements could not be reconciled. "We took many trips to Oakland to negotiate with Caltrans to buy that land," recalled DePriester, who served on the Planning Commission prior to being on the Council.
Looking at a picture taken in the 1970s, it took some vision to see a community park bloom. The area was barren, with no trees or amenities. It took the next four years to make a plan, raise the money, and start developing the land.
It is said that Hazel McClearnen, formerly of Boston, who was the Park Commissioner at the time named the newly acquired land after the Boston Commons. Then Parks Director Jim Grassi led the process to design the park and Recreation Supervisor Josephine Mele organized the activities.
Several plans were proposed, some of them with additional parking. One option would have removed the Mulberry Tree Preschool and replaced it with a parking lot, and another proposed to turn the 'back forty,' at the southeast perimeter of the park, into an additional 40-space parking lot accessible through a path opening on St. Mary's Road. "But with the library's parking, street parking and parking at Mulberry Tree, it was thought the one parking lot inside the park would be enough," remembered Mele. Tennis courts were also proposed in some versions of the original plan, but were deleted for budgetary reasons.
"It will be a model park for future parks," Grassi said at the time. The park did not require much grading to be constructed, it was designed to complement and fit the gently rolling hill. In fact, the slopes were thought to be used as a grass-ski area. At the park dedication in 1982, grass-ski demonstrations were held. "We could not find an insurance company that would cover it," said Mele, "so we abandoned the idea."
The Frisbee course, that was also part of the original design, is still popular today. Also included were the picnic areas, a tot lot, and a lot of planting. "We had a 'give a tree' campaign that we had to interrupt because we got too many trees from residents," said DePriester.
The East Bay Regional Park developed the Lafayette-Moraga trail at the same time and that project tied up perfectly with the installation of the Commons.
The original cost of developing the park was $445,000. Most of the funds came from a Park Dedication Fee paid by new developments; additional funding came as donations from Moraga service organizations, the Park Foundation, and a Park Bond Act. Mele also recalled that some of the equipment was financed with grants, such as the one she got for the bathrooms.
A year after the Commons Park was dedicated, the traditional 4th of July games and ceremonies moved from the grounds of Saint Mary's College to the new park. "The service organizations were wonderfully helpful," remembered Mele. "The Lions had a pancake breakfast, Kiwanis sold hamburgers, and the Women's Society had a bake sale." The celebrations also included a dog parade, a sack race, a bike and anything-on-wheel decorating contest, and local music. "We also wanted to have a pig race, but Animal Control stopped us," she added.
The summer concert series was transferred from the Hacienda de las Flores, where Mele first began it in the mid '70s, to the Commons after the Bandshell was constructed in 1985.
"We had an idea to build a small gazebo that would cost around $10,000," remembered Al Dessayer, who as mayor dedicated the Bandshell in 1985, "but we soon realized we would need something bigger that cost closer to $170,000." A plaque is affixed on the building with the names of all those who donated for its construction. At first it was a simple structure, with no kitchen or sound system. "We also added the basketball courts, volleyball court and a second playground when I was on the Council," said Dessayer.
The total cost of the park may have seemed high at the time, but the Commons Park now stands as a testimony to the foresight, leadership and wisdom of the numerous people who helped make it happen.
DePriester, Mele, and Dessayer continue to visit the Commons today, as do many other residents who contributed to the park. "This is one of the finest achievements of the community as a whole, and it continues to improve," concluded Dessayer.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA